Kevin De Bruyne is again on a collision course with Belgium coach Roberto Martinez over his tactical approach.

The Manchester City ace is just one Blues player who appears to be suffering when they turn out for their national team, after two seasons of playing under Pep Guardiola.

The Catalan coach has developed a specific football approach to football, and aimed all of his coaching resources – and transfer strategy – at it.

His City team is well-drilled, knowing exactly what their role is when the other team have possession, and when they can cut loose with their individual creativity when they have the ball.

And for players like De Bruyne, used to playing in a sophisticated attacking system, it can be a shock to the system when they are expected to perform, especially when asked to play in the defensive 5-3-2 system which Martinez seems to prefer.

He said at that time: “We are still living too much on talent. As long as there is no good system tactically we will continue to have problems against countries like Mexico. It is unfortunate that we have not found a solution so far.”

And he has followed that by ruling out the possibility of Martinez adopting Guardiola's City blueprint.

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“That is almost impossible,” he said. “First, the coach has his own ideas. Secondly, the players must be able to execute the system. “Every Red Devil plays in his club in a different system. And thirdly, at City we have time to sharpen our game system.

“At the Devils we have one or two weeks to train. That is too little. “We have to create our own system. The guidelines must be clear, so that everyone is pointing in the same direction - so that I do not walk forward and another person backwards.

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“It is up to the coach to put things in order. I am confident that he can.”

Martinez hit back at the first outburst by saying De Bruyne should not air such grievances in public, but the midfield star is unrepentant as they prepare for a friendly against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

“I knew what the consequences were going to be,” he said. “Immediately after that interview I called my agent Patrick De Koster. I said to him: 'Keep yourself ready, I have said what I had to say.'

“I do not regret what I said. I have taken my responsibility and I accept the consequences. No one in the group has refuted my words.